In the gaming machine industry, it is common, and often a legal requirement, that the machines record and store various forms of auditing and metering data. Such data may include the machine serial number, the game name, game statistics such as the amount won or lost over time, and the number of games played over particular time periods, for example. The data may be stored on a hard or soft meter. This data is useful to a number of different entities. For example, the local operator/owner of the machine may require the data for accounting or taxation purposes. A regulatory body may require access to maintain jurisdictionally controlled standards in the industry. Additionally, the designers of the game may be interested in the information for future game development purposes—for example, they may be able to see which game options were most often chosen, and so form a better view on the types of options game players preferred.
In some instances, the information is automatically sent to the local operator/owner electronically, and the gaming machines may be automated to periodically send the data to the appropriate regulatory body or monitoring agency. Some venues, however, are not electronically connected to a monitoring agency. In these cases, to enter the information into other computer systems it is often necessary to manually note down the required information by hand, then manually input it into the required system or database. It is apparent that this manual transferral of information from one medium to another is prone to error. This may cause undesirable consequences, as it is important to keep record of accurate data. This often sensitive data is also prone to the misappropriation by others, whether innocently or maliciously.
It is desired to address or ameliorate one or more shortcomings or disadvantages associated with prior systems for the transfer of auditing and metering information from gaming machines, or to at least provide a useful alternative thereto.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present disclosure as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.
Throughout this specification the word “comprise”, or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.